While fighting a fire in southern California, what might occur after experiencing a sudden calm in the sea breeze?

After experiencing a sudden calm in the sea breeze, it is likely that winds may shift to downslope. This phenomenon occurs due to the interplay between different atmospheric conditions and local topography.

In coastal regions, especially in areas like southern California, sea breezes typically blow inland during the day as warmer air rises and creates a low-pressure area over the land. However, when the sea breeze calms suddenly, the balance can be disrupted. The cooler, denser air that is often present over the ocean may not be able to replace the warm air immediately, leading to a temporary pause in the sea breeze.

As the warm air continues to rise due to solar heating of the terrain, a shift can occur wherein the prevailing winds that would have been upslope or from the sea transition to downslope flows. This downslope wind can introduce more intense fire behavior, as it can carry embers and create erratic fire patterns.

Other choices such as continued upslope winds, increased humidity, and formation of fog do not accurately characterize the likely atmospheric changes following a calm in the sea breeze. Upslope winds typically continue in the absence of a significant weather change, while an increase in humidity or fog formation would generally require different atmospheric conditions than those associated with